Tape decoder

ABSTRACT

A device for decoding or interpreting perforated tape including a pair of members rotatably joined to each other. The first member includes slotted portions for fixing a length of perforated tape relative thereto, and a slotted section permitting a viewer to examine a discrete code level of the tape therethrough. The other member includes a set of symbols and an aligned arrangement of indicia in an array, so arranged that on rotation relative to the first member, various of such indicia will be positioned relative to the first member&#39;&#39;s slotted section. The indicia is so arranged that when perforations in the tape are initially superimposed over the appropriate indicia the perforations are decoded by virtue of the aligned symbols on the other member.

United States Patent Geib [ Apr. 4, 1972 [54] TAPE DECODER Randall R. Geib, Altoona, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Data-Link Corporation, San Mateo, Calif.

[22] Filed: Apr. 8, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 26,618

[72] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. ..35/2

LlNK-A-CODE Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-J. l-l. Wolff Attorney-Murray Robinson and Ned L. Conley [57] ABSTRACT A device for decoding or interpreting perforated tape including a pair of members rotatably joined to each other. The first member includes slotted portions for fixing a length of perforated tape relative thereto, and a slotted section permitting a viewer to examine a discrete code level of the tape therethrough. The other member includes a set of symbols and an aligned arrangement of indicia in an array, so arranged that on rotation relative to the first member, various of such indicia will be positioned relative to the first members slotted section. The indicia is so arranged that when perforations in the tape are initially superimposed over the appropriate indicia the perforations are decoded by virtue of the aligned symbols on the other member. a

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Lm'rsv NuuBENED ROLE NuunrREn-NQLE lzAn new!!! In IINDOI Ar to INSTRUCTIONS In!! T IIENINO CENYER szcnon ND ruflouGw BOYM no. no

NOV! PEIFORATED CODE LEVEL TO BK FIEID TO YNE MIDDLE SLOV IOTAVE IHFEL CLOCKIISE UNTIL Anna is m wmoon AY row IOY T! NEL CLOCKI'SE cAnE uLLv UNYIL 0L0" a YNROUG CONYINUI. ROTAYING UNTIL COLOR SNOIS Yn wnunn 4r I i L mn sv ILL newuumr, CODE NOLES PROGRISSIVFL' TAPE DECODER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Within the relatively recent past, the use of perforated or punched tape to operate or activate devices such as computers, type-setters, and telecommunications has burgeoned. This tape is perforated according to distinct codes and is fed into the receiving device. The coded perforations, in effect, control the devices operation. Oftentimes it becomes necessary to quickly check or scan the tape, and mentally determine the nature or meaning of the information provided thereon. One such reason may be to correct errors in the information so provided. While sophisticated electronic readers are available for this purpose, there is need for a dependable, quick, manually operable means for interpreting the tape. This is the area, to which the present invention is directed.

THE PRIOR ART There have been numerous prior art instances of devices used to convert data from one reference scale to another. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,834,123 used to convert coordinates to reference code designations. Further, attempts have been made to provide easy interpreting of punched cards and/or tape, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,344,585 and 3,418,728. However, these have generally required an intermediate mental step, such as comparing a particular indicia scheme with a standard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention permits expeditious interpretation of coded, perforated tape, and includes a pair of superimposed discs which are rotatable, relative to each other by virtue of a centrally disposed rivet. The outer or front disc, or view finder, includes slotted means for positioning a strip of perforated tape so that a particular code level may be observed through a slot, that particularpunched code level being positioned at that time between the two discs. The inner or rear disc has pro vided thereon, around its periphery, two sets of aligned indicia. The first, and radially outermost, represent particular symbols such as letters, numerals or other signs. The radially innermost set of indicia comprises coded levels which are representatives of such symbols, namely; combinations of dots, impressions or the like. As the rear disc is rotated about the center of the front one, different sets of indicia or codes are aligned with the slot. When such indicia initially correlates with the particular perforations in a specific code level of the punched tape positioned in the slot, the outer indicia provides the meaning or symbol attributable to the pattern of perforatrons.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the cover; FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the code bearing disc; and FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the assembled discs.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Punched, or perforated, tape is used in modern industry to control the operation of numerous mechanical, electrical and hybrid operations. Such areas of operation may range from computer programs to type setters. Basically, information or instructions are provided the tape, which then is fed to a machine which is equipped with scanners, or the like, to translate the instructions into operative acts. The instructions are provided to the tape by means of perforations therein. The tape 90 itself may comprise a strip of ribbonlike paper, having a column of feed or centering holes 91 therein. On either side of such centering holes are positions which may be perforated, a horizontal file of such positions being commonly known as a code level, illustrated at 92. Such tape may have seven code positions in each code level, or other quantities, depending on the type tape, or ultimate use. Various schemes or codes are commonly used, to determine the particular symbols, such as numbers, letters or the like, to be coded, as well as the perforation pattern to represent each of such symbols. Such codes include Binary Coded Decimal, Baudot and ASCl ll. Thus, the particular code shown in the drawings herein represents but a single one of the codes used, and may obviously be modified to depict others.

Looking first at FIG. 1, the cover 10 is shown to be essentially a flat sheet, which may be fabricated of paper, laminated plastic or any other suitable material. Indicia would normally be provided detailing instructions, of operation. At the top of the cover, tab portion 11 extends somewhat beyond the remaining cover periphery. Centrally of the tab, is elongated slot 12, having a bulb-like enlargement 13 at the upper end thereof. To one side of the slot, indicia 14 may represent the various code positions of an individual code level. The enlarged portion l3 provides a window through which a symbol on the rotatable disc may be clearly seen. Adjacent both of the lateral sides of tab 11, the cover is further cut away, as at 15 and 16, to provide tape guides. They form opposite ears I7, 18, which may each have respective lugs 19, 20 extending toward tab 11, to assist in centering the tape. In FIG. 2, rotatable wheel or disc 40 includes two sets of indicia arcuately spaced about its flat surface. The outer one, 50, of such sets, represent particular symbols which comprise the vocabular of a particular code, such as numerals, letters of the alphabet, and particular operational notations. The inner set of indicia, 60, represent the translation into tape language of each of the symbols comprising indicia set 50. Each black dot in a particular code level would represent a perforation of one code position within a particular code level. In the example shown, tape having seven positions in each code level is used. It may be seen that the representation of the letter P" would appear, starting from the disc center as tape perforations in the lst, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th code positions. Tab or handle 61 is provided at the periphery of disc 40, for ease of rotation. Rivet or eyelet means 70 is fitted through openings 71 and 72 provided respectively in cover 10 and disc 40, to render them relatively rotatable, when attached.

In operation, a strip of code bearing perforated tape is threaded through cutaway l6, behind tab 11, and forward again through cutaway portion 15. This is seen to place certain portions, or code levels, behind slotted portion 12. In particular, the coded representations of individual symbols found on disc 40 may pass behind and be seen through the slot. Obviously, it is desirable to align the dots on disc 40, with the perforated code levels on the perforated tape. Since the dots would be colored, or otherwise made observable through the tapes perforations, a viewer would know when a dot appeared behind each perforated position of a particular code level on the analyzed tape. It will be noted, however, that some code symbols include all of the code dots of another symbol, plus others, for example, the code for the letter P includes the coded representation of the letter J plus other dots in the 2nd and 3rd code positions. Thus, a user needs to know that there are no hidden code dots behind unperforated portions of the tape, i.e., that the entire code of a particular symbol is observable through the perforations of a single code level. This object is accomplished by virtue of the arrangement of the symbols, and particularly, of their codes. From looking at FIG. 2, it is obvious that not all possible permutations of dots are used as codes. For example, there is no symbol shown having dots in the lst, 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions only. If full utilization were desirable, i.e., a code having 127 codes for a like number of symbols, using seven position tape (2"l), where n is the number of positions in each level, a code array could be so arranged. In the particular code depictedhere, a lesser number of symbols are included. Each code level in FIG. 2 has at least one dot thereon, and from 0 to n-l" blank code positions. The arrangement is such that on looking counter-clockwise in FIG. 2 from the handle 61, the symbols are so arranged that the code representations thereof progress from a minimum number of code positions within a code level toward ultimate maximum use of such code positions. The result of this arrangement is such that 1] when the perforated tape is positioned relative to tab 11 so that the code level under examination may be seen through aperture 12, and 2] initially positioning one of the arrows below handle 61 within enlargement 13, and 3] rotating handle 61 clockwise until the lowermost (in terms of the code positions within the code level, or indicia l4) perforation in the tape shows a dot therebeneath, and 4] continuing to rotate the handle 61 until a dot can be seen through not only the lowest perforation but also through the next highest, and S] continuing such rotation until a dot or similar coded representation may be seen through all tape perforations in a code level; then the correct code symbol may be seen through enlargement 13. Thus, the

initial appearance of dots on the rear disc through each perforation on the tape studied renders the appropriate symbol obvious through enlargement 13. When this is accomplished, there will be no unobservable dots in the particular code level on the rear disc. It is seen that no one code level in H0. 2 has readable markings or dots at all code positions possessed by any succeeding code level, nor does any code level have all the blank code positions possessed by any preceding code level. While later codes may include all dots of the correct symbol, plus others, the arrangement described above assures that the lst code covering all tape apertures is the correct one. Further, the arrangement simplifies it further, by permitting the user to initially fill the lowermost perforation, and progressively move higher, i.e., only concentrating on one perforation at a time. This permits quick and easy understanding or translation of a portion of perforated tape.

Although only a single embodiment has been depicted and that having only a single code thereon, it should be obvious that numerous modifications would be possible by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is limited only by the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for interpreting coded tape, including:

a first member having a plurality of spaced symbols and a plurality of code levels thereon, each of said code levels comprising a plurality of code positions and being aligned with one of said symbols;

each of said code levels including an observable marking at at least one code position and from to n-l blank code positions, where n is the total number of code positions in each code level,

a second member including a viewfinder, said second member being movable relative to said first member to a plurality of positions in each of which one of said symbols and its aligned code level is visible through said viewfinder;

means for positioning a length of coded tape intermediate said viewfinder and said first member; and

said plurality of code levels being arranged in series on said first member, no code level having readable markings at all the code positions at which any other code level succeeding said one code level in the series has readable markings.

2. A device for interpreting coded tape, including:

a first member having a plurality of spaced symbols and a plurality of code levels thereon, each of said code levels comprising a plurality of code positions and being aligned with one of said symbols;

each of said code levels including a readable marking at at least one code position and from 0 to n-l blank code positions, where n is the total number of code positions,

a second member including a viewfinder, said second member being movable relative to said first member to a plurality of positions in each of which one of said symbols and its aligned code level is visible through said viewfinder;

means for positioning a length of coded tape intermediate said viewfinder and said first member; said plurality of code levels being arranged in series on said first member, and no distinct code level containing all the blank code positions of any code level preceding said distinct code level in the series.

3. A device for interpreting tape coded by a series of perforations in said tape including:

a coded disk, said disk comprising a plurality of different coded markings and a plurality of interpreting symbols printed on said disk, said markings being circularly spaced around the center of said disk, said symbols being printed above each marking and interpreting said coded marking, and

a viewfinder, said disk being rotatably mounted on said viewfinder, said viewfinder including a means for positioning a coded tape intermediate said viewfinder and said disk, said viewfinder including a slot wide enough to expose one set of coded perforations on said tape and long enough to expose one marking and interpreting symbol on said disk, said markings being so positioned on said disk that when said disk is rotated in a selected direction and all said perforations in said coded tape correspond with a marking on said disk, said symbol exposed in said slot interprets the particular perforated code on said tape viewed through said slot. 

1. A device for interpreting coded tape, including: a first member having a plurality of spaced symbols and a plurality of code levels thereon, each of said code lEvels comprising a plurality of code positions and being aligned with one of said symbols; each of said code levels including an observable marking at at least one code position and from 0 to n-1 blank code positions, where n is the total number of code positions in each code level, a second member including a viewfinder, said second member being movable relative to said first member to a plurality of positions in each of which one of said symbols and its aligned code level is visible through said viewfinder; means for positioning a length of coded tape intermediate said viewfinder and said first member; and said plurality of code levels being arranged in series on said first member, no code level having readable markings at all the code positions at which any other code level succeeding said one code level in the series has readable markings.
 2. A device for interpreting coded tape, including: a first member having a plurality of spaced symbols and a plurality of code levels thereon, each of said code levels comprising a plurality of code positions and being aligned with one of said symbols; each of said code levels including a readable marking at at least one code position and from 0 to n-1 blank code positions, where n is the total number of code positions, a second member including a viewfinder, said second member being movable relative to said first member to a plurality of positions in each of which one of said symbols and its aligned code level is visible through said viewfinder; means for positioning a length of coded tape intermediate said viewfinder and said first member; said plurality of code levels being arranged in series on said first member, and no distinct code level containing all the blank code positions of any code level preceding said distinct code level in the series.
 3. A device for interpreting tape coded by a series of perforations in said tape including: a coded disk, said disk comprising a plurality of different coded markings and a plurality of interpreting symbols printed on said disk, said markings being circularly spaced around the center of said disk, said symbols being printed above each marking and interpreting said coded marking, and a viewfinder, said disk being rotatably mounted on said viewfinder, said viewfinder including a means for positioning a coded tape intermediate said viewfinder and said disk, said viewfinder including a slot wide enough to expose one set of coded perforations on said tape and long enough to expose one marking and interpreting symbol on said disk, said markings being so positioned on said disk that when said disk is rotated in a selected direction and all said perforations in said coded tape correspond with a marking on said disk, said symbol exposed in said slot interprets the particular perforated code on said tape viewed through said slot. 